Flags were at half-staff outside the Superdome and at nearby state buildings on Thursday as fans arrived a day later than scheduled for the Sugar Bowl — a game serving this season as a College Football Playoff quarterfinal between Notre Dame and Georgia.
Security was ramped up around the stadium a little more than a day after an attack early Wednesday in the nearby French Quarter, where authorities say a truck driver deliberately plowed into a New Year’s crowd — killing 14 people and injuring more than 30.
The attack occurred on Bourbon Street, which runs through the heart of the French Quarter and is famously lined with bars, restaurants and clubs, near the corner of Canal Street, a main downtown artery. The crime scene, which was gradually being cleared so it could be reopened to the public on Thursday afternoon, is about a mile's walk from the Superdome.
Numerous security officers around the 70,000-seat stadium were handling dogs trained to sniff for explosive devices. They encircled cars entering the Superdome parking garage and in some cases sniffed bags and backpacks. The game, originally scheduled for 7:45 p.m. CST on Wednesday, was pushed back to 3 p.m. Thursday, with the winner advancing to the Jan. 9 Orange Bowl against Fiesta Bowl winner Penn State.
While many traveling fans extended their stay to attend the game, the postponement meant some would not be able to attend because of travel plans that were deemed too expensive or logistically difficult to change. Numerous tickets were listed for resale online at prices of $30 or less, some as low as $23.
